Raymond Parks, owner of NASCAR's first championship winning car and an integral part of the series' formation, has died. He was 96. Parks was the last living member of the group of men who created NASCAR in 1947 during a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla.

These are good times for our race team. I never have gone into a Coca-Cola 600 race weekend thinking we can win for sure. Usually it's, 'This track is tough on us, maybe we can finish top 10 or top five, and I'll be happy.' Not this year.

Waiting on the R local at Union Square, where riders have asked him for directions instead of autographs, Jeff Gordon chuckles about fairy tales. His 2-year-old, Ella, is mesmerized by Snow White's princess, poison apple and happily-ever-after ending.

Martin Truex Jr. turned a lap of 157.315 mph to win the pole position in Friday qualifying at Dover International Speedway. Kasey Kahne was second and Mark Martin third in qualifying for Sunday's 400-miler.